Quote Originally Posted by Titchfieldbaggie View Post
Excellent advice, but I think you are wrong about crate training. All my dogs, over the years, have always had their own safe space to go to when they feel the need. A young pup has been taken from it's pack, and needs to know it can escape from all the attention that will undoubtedly come it's way. I've never closed the cage door or used it as a punishment. It's the dogs special place (and we all need one of those), and a dog has no conception of what our definition of cruelty is, so I never anthropomorphise. A dog is a wolf in disguise, so just be a kind Alpha.
It’s all about the intent. We love our dog to bits and have 3 crates. One in the house and one in each car. He happily jumps from one to another as his space. He would look at us if we were up after 11 and put himself to bed in his crate and close the door lol. Now he is older he no longer needs or has a crate in the house.